Trump: U.S. to resume nuclear weapons tests

Davis Winkie

USA TODAY

President Donald Trump announced Oct. 29 that the United States will “immediately” resume nuclear weapons tests.

In a Truth Social post, Trump touted progress made on nuclear weapons modernization during his first term. But he warned that China’s nuclear weapons buildup will place Beijing’s arsenal on equal footing with the United States and Russia “within 5 years.”

“Because of other countries [sic] testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis,” Trump said.

The move seemingly signals an abrupt end to a three-decade period during which the United States did not test any nuclear weapons.

The moratorium on nuclear detonations was put in place by former President George H.W. Bush, and the United States signed the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1996.

The Senate voted against ratifying the treaty.

While China and Russia have renovated their historical nuclear test sites in recent years, only North Korea has detonated nuclear weapons since 1998.

It was not immediately clear from Trump’s post whether the United States would fire a nuclear warhead before Russia or China does. All three countries – and other nuclear weapons states – routinely test their nuclear delivery platforms. Russia tested a new nuclear- powered cruise missile and a nuclear torpedo in recent days, and the United States test-launched a Minuteman III nuclear missile in May.

The announcement came as Trump traveled to Gimhae Air Base in South Korea for a hotly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, their first face-to-face conversation since the U.S. leader returned to office earlier this year.

Trump did not respond to a reporter’s question on why he changed the United States’ posture on nuclear testing as his meeting with Xi began.

Trump’s announcement baffled nuclear weapons experts, some of whom believe his post may have referred to missile flight testing or non-explosive nuclear tests.

Arms Control Association head and nuclear weapons expert Daryl Kimball said the United States “has no technical, military, or political reason to resume nuclear explosive testing.”

Another nuclear nonproliferation expert, Andrea Stricker of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said that Trump needs to clarify what he means by “nuclear testing.”

A Department of Energy spokesperson and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.

Brandon Williams, the Trump-appointed head of the National Nuclear Security Administration, told lawmakers in April that he would advise the administration not to resume nuclear weapons tests.

Contributing: Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY Davis Winkie’s role covering nuclear threats and national security at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Outrider Foundation and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.